By Ronald Njoroge
Roam, Kenya’s leading electric mobility company, has officially expanded its operations to Machakos County, further strengthening its commitment to building a robust electric transport ecosystem beyond Nairobi.
Following the successful launch of Roam Shop – Thika in Thika Town, Kiambu County, in November 2024, this new Machakos outlet marks the next step in Roam’s ambitious nationwide expansion plan for 2025. Strategically located at the
newly opened TotalEnergies Mua View Service Station, 6 km from Machakos Town along the Kitui Road, the outlet will
bring Roam’s innovative electric mobility solutions closer to the community.
The Roam Shop – Machakos will offer sales of Roam Air electric motorcycles, Roam Air battery charging and rental
services, after-sales support, and dedicated customer service for the region. The Machakos location adds to Roam’s
expanding cooperation with TotalEnergies, which already hosts four Roam Hubs, including Lusaka Road, Karambee in Juja
Road, Waiyaki Way, and Outer Ring Road—showcasing how petrol stations are evolving to support clean mobility solutions.
Machakos is renowned for its rugged and elevated terrain, including landmarks like Iveti Hills and Kituluni Hill, where water
famously appears to flow uphill. To ensure the Roam Air motorcycle could thrive in such a demanding landscape, Roam
deployed five units for hands-on test rides across boda boda stages in the area.
Riders reported outstanding performance even under full loads—thanks to the Roam Air’s 240 kg payload capacity and 58 Nm peak torque. Built with African riders in mind, the Roam Air embodies Roam’s design philosophy: “Designed in Africa, for Africa.”
Machakos riders can charge their Roam Air batteries at home for
about KES 80, providing a range of 80–100 km per charge,
depending on the driving mode. In comparison, covering the same
distance with an internal combustion engine (ICE) motorcycle
typically requires around 3 litres of fuel, currently priced at KES 175
per litre, according to the Energy & Petroleum Regulatory Authority
(EPRA). Riders using the Roam Air’s dual-battery feature can cover
160–200 km on a full charge. Those with a single battery can visit
the new Roam Hub in Machakos Town to rent a charged battery for
KES 20 per hour, helping them avoid downtime.
To make Roam Air more accessible, Roam has brought in financing
partners, including M-Kopa, 4G Capital, Mogo, and Watu Credit,
offering flexible payment plans starting from as little as a KES
10,000 deposit and KES 460 in daily installments.
Habib Lukaya, Field Operations Manager at Roam: “We’ve always envisioned Roam as a truly Pan-African solution—and that means expanding beyond major urban centers like Nairobi. Machakos presents a perfect blend of opportunity and challenge, particularly with its hilly terrain. The feedback from boda boda riders during our test phase confirmed that the Roam Air can handle these conditions exceptionally well. Our next step is to continue expanding into more counties across
Kenya to make clean mobility accessible to everyone.”